YMAR vs. FFEB

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

YMAR (FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March) and FFEB (FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February) are both Defined Outcome funds from FT Vest. YMAR is passively managed, while FFEB is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, YMAR returned 6.81%/yr vs 10.76%/yr for FFEB. Their 0.71 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. YMAR charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for FFEB.

Performance

YMAR vs. FFEB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March (YMAR) and FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, YMAR achieves a 7.31% return, which is significantly lower than FFEB's 8.35% return.

YMAR

• 1D: -0.14%
• 1M: 0.87%
• 6M: 5.55%
• YTD: 7.31%
• 1Y: 14.90%
• 3Y*: 10.53%
• 5Y*: 6.81%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.05%

FFEB

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 0.56%
• 6M: 7.27%
• YTD: 8.35%
• 1Y: 16.42%
• 3Y*: 14.78%
• 5Y*: 10.76%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 11.62%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February	$887.78K	$775.79K	$1.73M
YMAR FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March	$98.53K	$127.52K	$448.56K

YMAR vs. FFEB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
YMAR FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March	7.31%	18.55%	3.12%	16.31%	-8.46%	3.11%
FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February	8.35%	13.76%	16.64%	19.95%	-7.51%	13.16%

Correlation

The correlation between YMAR and FFEB is 0.75, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.68
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 22, 2021	0.71

The correlation between YMAR and FFEB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.68 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.

YMAR vs. FFEB - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	YMAR	FFEB
Financial Services	24.7%	11.7%
Industrials	18.8%	8.4%
Technology	12.6%	37.9%
Healthcare	10.5%	9.1%
Consumer Cyclical	7.5%	9.6%
Consumer Defensive	6.8%	4.6%
Basic Materials	5.8%	1.7%
Communication Services	4.5%	10.0%
Utilities	3.8%	2.3%
Energy	3.3%	3.0%
Real Estate	1.7%	1.9%

Return for Risk

YMAR vs. FFEB — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

YMAR

YMAR Risk / Return Rank: 91
YMAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
YMAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
YMAR Omega Ratio Rank: 90
YMAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
YMAR Martin Ratio Rank: 95

FFEB

FFEB Risk / Return Rank: 86
FFEB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
FFEB Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
FFEB Omega Ratio Rank: 89
FFEB Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
FFEB Martin Ratio Rank: 89

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

YMAR vs. FFEB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March (YMAR) and FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	YMAR	FFEB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.11	2.11	+0.01
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.07	3.03	+0.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.41	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.59	2.70	+1.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.49	13.94	+5.55

YMAR vs. FFEB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current YMAR Sharpe Ratio is 2.11, which is comparable to the FFEB Sharpe Ratio of 2.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of YMAR and FFEB, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

YMAR vs. FFEB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum YMAR drawdown since its inception was -22.60%, roughly equal to the maximum FFEB drawdown of -23.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for YMAR and FFEB.

Drawdown Indicators

	YMAR	FFEB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.60%	-23.14%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.21%	-5.73%	+2.52%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.88%	-11.89%	+3.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.60%	-13.85%	-8.75%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.14%	-0.18%	+0.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.93%	-2.38%	-1.55%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.76%	1.11%	-0.35%

Volatility

YMAR vs. FFEB - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest International Equity Moderate Buffer ETF - March (YMAR) has a higher volatility of 1.92% compared to FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - February (FFEB) at 1.80%. This indicates that YMAR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FFEB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	YMAR	FFEB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.92%	1.80%	+0.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.78%	5.98%	-0.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.00%	7.34%	-0.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.33%	10.82%	+0.51%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.16%	13.62%	-2.46%

YMAR vs. FFEB - Expense Ratio Comparison

YMAR has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than FFEB's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

YMAR vs. FFEB - Dividend Comparison

Neither YMAR nor FFEB has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both YMAR and FFEB in my portfolio?

YMAR and FFEB have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, YMAR or FFEB?

YMAR has higher volatility (1.92%) compared to FFEB (1.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, YMAR dropped -22.60% vs FFEB's -23.14%.

Which ETF is better, YMAR or FFEB?

On 5-year performance, FFEB leads with 10.76% vs 6.81% for YMAR. On fees, FFEB is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, FFEB has been the lower-risk option at 1.80%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, YMAR or FFEB?

Over the 5-year period, FFEB has performed better with a 10.76% return vs 6.81%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, YMAR or FFEB?

FFEB is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for YMAR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, YMAR or FFEB?

YMAR and FFEB have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between YMAR and FFEB?

Their fees differ too: 0.90% for YMAR and 0.85% for FFEB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

YMAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.11 vs 2.11), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.